Improvement in machinery for propelling cars



dnimi Qiatr @patent @muy Letters Patent No. V97,343, dated lifm'e'mbe'r 30, 1869. i

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINERY FOR PROPELLIII'G- CARS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part et' the same.

To all wltonit may cocern:

Beit known that I, G. T. BEAUREGARD, of New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans, and State of Louisiana,vhave invented new and improved Machinery for v and other vehicles ou land, and boats on canals or riverspby means of overhead wire or other rope, deriving motion from stationary engines or otherI power, at intervals along the routel.

'lhe inrentionconiprises au arrangement of clamping-devices, for engagingland disengaging the rope, having a constant movement above roller or pulleysupports for it, suspended upon framing along the road,the clamp being con`, \,ected to brackets, upon the top 'of the car, by a spring or yiehling connection, to relieve the caror boat from injurious shocks at starting, and arranged to be operated by the conductoron the car, vehicle, or boat.

'lhel invention also comprises an arrangement of means for raising the rope, when it is to be clamped for setting the car in motion, the pendent supports of which are necessarily lower than the clutch, to permait to pass over:` them, also arranged for operation by it person standing on the-car. Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a ear provided With my improvement, also showing the cord and a section of the suspending framing.

Figure 2 represents an end, elevation of the same.

Figure 3 represents a sectional elevation of the clamp. i I

The vcord A is made in long sections, and caused, by any suitable driving-mechanism, ,to run over pnlleys or roller-guides 13 suspended on brackets C, from any suitable framing, arranged along the route, at suitable intervals.

The said cord is kept in constant motion, and may be arranged to run up one track and down the other, when double tracks are used.

The cars D' are provided with clamping -jaws E,

. suspended' from a block, E', ou a roll, F, supported by curved brackets G, rising from the top of the car,

above the rollers B,;theA suspending-brackets of which are also curved, the curvature being' in the direction i opposite to that .of the brackets G, permitting the block and clamp to be carried above the saidrollersupportsY of the cords,A without anyinterference of either set of brackets. l

The block Gis capable of sliding on the rod F, and is provided with a piston-rod, H, working in a tube, supported between the central bracket G and another behind it. l

This tube carries a spiral spring, K, wound upon the rod, and bearing'againstthe piston at'one end and the end of the tube at the other, and has a tendency to keep the block E' drawn back against or near to the central bracket G.

The rear end of the tube is provided with an\ airpassage and valve, opening inward, to admit air behind the piston when fdrward, to prevent the too sudden return of vthe block when the cord is let go.

The clamp `consists of a pair of movable jaws, E, capable of ,sliding to and from each other in the block E', and a clamping-screw is provided with an operating-pulley, M, over which a cord or belt, N, works, the same being arranged for the attendant to operate, when standing on the platform of the car, or it may be at any other convenient place.

By turning this wheel M, the screw d, which is right and let-threaded will move the pins to and from each other, and vclamp .the cord o1' let it go.

0 represents an elevating-roller, mounted on a wrist-pin of a crank-shaft, P, supported on the bracket just behind the clutch, 'and arranged to be turned by a cord, R, working overa pulley, Q.

' The said'c'or'd Is atso"arranged to be reached by the conductor, on the platform or other part of the car or boat.

lThis roller O may be kept in an elevated position, so that the attendant will only have to operate .the clamp for stopping and starting the car.

When the `clamps are screwed up against the cord, they will at first slip', and at the 'same time the spring will yield, and allow the clamp to more in advance of the car, sufficiently to set it in motion without undue shocks 0r jars.

Instead of placing the propelling-cord and clutching-devices above theear, they may be placed at the side.V

I propose to make use'of this apparatus for propelling boatspn canals, and for other similar purposes. i

Having thus described my invention,

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with a car or other vehicle, or a boat o1' other' vessel, and a constantly-moving cord, A, suspended above or at the side of the Vcar or vessel to vbe propelled, of the reciprocating block E', clamping-jaws,E, iight and left-threaded screw-piston H, and spring K, substantially as specified.

2. The combination 'ofthe cord A and clampingjaws of the elevating-roller, cranked shaft P, and operating-cord R, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the clamping-jaws E and operating-screw L,`of the pulleys M and operating-cord, arranged substantially as specified.

4. The arrangement'sof the suspending-brackets U and the brackets G,'for carrying the clutch above the cord, substantially asspecied.

\Vitnesses: G. T. BEAUREGARD.

' E, J. HAR-BIS,

H.l H.. Foome 

